Santiago-González, José C.

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    Manejo integrado de nematodos fitoparásitos y Cosmopolites sordidus (Germar) en el cultivo de plátano
    (2006) Santiago-González, José C.; Chavarría-Carvajal, José A.; College of Agricultural Sciences; Franqui Rivera, Rosa A.; Vicente Carbonell, Nydia E.; Department of Crops and Agro-Environmental Sciences; González Gill, Lizzette
    Plant-parasitic nematodes and the banana weevil Cosmopolites sordidus are recognized as the most limiting factors for plantain production in Puerto Rico. The use of pesticides has been the traditional method for pest control, which has generated environmental and human health problems. A study was conducted at the Isabela Agricultural Experimental Substation to develop integrated management practices for the control of both pests in plantains. The experimental design was a RCB with five treatments and four replicates. Plantain (Musa acuminata x M. balbisiana, AAB, cv. ‘Maricongo’) was used as the planting material. The treatments were: T1. Rotation of velvet bean (Mucuna deeringiana) + plantain; T2. Poultry litter (7.3 Kg/plant) + plantain; T3. Rotation of velvet bean + poultry litter + plantain; T4. Chemical control (Nemacur 15G 3.0g a.i./plant/ at 6 and 12 months after planting) + plantain; and, T5. Absolute control. Phytonematode populations were recorded at the end of the first rotation cycle and at intervals of four months thereafter. Eight tramps with pheromone (Cosmolure +) were incorporated in the plots of treatments 1 and 5, to monitor the population levels of C. sordidus. Phytonematode levels associated to soil tended to be lower in treatments 1 through 4 in comparison with the absolute control at 8 and 12 month after planting. Absolute control reported a significantly higher number of plant-parasitic nematodes in the root tissue 4 month after planting. Number of galleries and percentage of damage caused by banana weevil larvae was superior in the absolute control in comparison with other studied treatments. Population levels of C. sordidus varied during the sampling period, showing the higher peaks during the first 28 weeks. Banana weevil sexual ratio on adults captured was 0.66 : 0.33. Adults captured showed an aggregated spatial distribution. Poultry litter promoted significantly heavier bunches (16.92 Kg) in comparison with the chemical control (14.58 Kg) and the absolute (13.67 Kg) treatments. Soil incorporation of poultry litter promoted a heavier bunch weight probably due to the development of an antagonistic microflora and the increasing of nutrient supply.